Building entrance protector (BEP) is the name used in the art of telephone equipment to describe the junction box where telephone lines from outside plant wiring are joined to customer premises equipment. In the most common application, the building entrance protector is the place where the telecommunication lines from an outside plant wiring enter a building and are joined to the communication system within that building. Within the building entrance protector there is an input wire termination device that receives the telecommunication lines contained within the outside plant wiring. Also contained within the building entrance protector is an output wire termination device that receives the telecommunication lines required for the customer premises equipment Located in between the input wire termination device and the output wire termination device, passing through a barrier wall, are fusible links. The fusible links are typically 26 gauge copper wire, which is thinner than the gauge of either the outside plant wiring or the customer premises equipment.
The purpose of the fusible links is to prevent power surges from passing through the building entrance protector that can damage equipment located within the building or melt any wire on the customer side of the building entrance protector. Since telecommunication lines are frequently located on the same poles as power lines, a break in a power line that subsequently contacts a telephone line, can result in a large surge of power passing through the telecommunication lines into a building. Similarly, lightning strikes can result large surges of power pass in through telecommunication lines into a building. The purpose of the building entrance protector is to ensure that any such power surge is stopped at the point of the building entrance protector and is thus prevented from traveling into the building where it can cause damage to equipment and possibly a fire.
Typical wiring connections from the input wire termination device to the output wire termination device are made by hand or using hand tools. Hand wiring is time consuming and problematic.
Accordingly, there is a need for automating the wiring from the input wire termination device to the output wire termination device.